How it all began

So it all started in Tobago on the other side of the ocean…

We had a family home where we would go when the children were small and which felt like a second home. We did lots of riding there; fairly wild gallops that were in hindsight quite breakneck and dangerous. Then one day I discovered Veronika who ran a very different centre called Being with Horses. She was and still is an incredibly majestic lady who could have done anything with her life and had chosen to dedicate it to “helping people feel better with horses”. We remain in contact and she remains the person who has inspired me most in this forthcoming adventure. We met again recently after some 13 years and this was reconfirmed and we will of course work in partnership. What Veronika, with her partner Lennon had achieved was a haven of peace and serenity where all types of people could unite to just “be with horses” and in so doing find their own inner calm and individual form of healing. She had developed an offering for people with special needs and had naturally included social reinsertion but there were no labels and above all no fuss. They have evolved of course but the principles and atmosphere remain the same.

It has taken us a long time to finally get “Equichance” going. We have been through many a mishap to include divorce, moving house, horses passing away, mental and physical health issues and so much more. Today we have finally found the right place and intend to create something similar but of course also quite different to what Veronika has successfully done in Tobago. Machtalu is the holding company and also the place “Mas Chtalu” . Equichance is the primary activity and as the name suggests it will be about equality; a level playing field based on mutual learning between man and horse, though arguably the former has more to learn than the latter. It will also be about giving those who cannot normally afford( financially or physically) to spend time with horses to do so.

Other activities will follow namely pottery, dance and song but these will be add ons to the main focus which will be on the horses.